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- Attorney Discusses JFK Air Traffic Contoller Incident
Posted on 3/9/2010 - Attorney Examines Legal Protections for High-Speed Rail Workers
Posted on 1/29/2010 - Attorney Examines an Airplane Accident in Suffolk, Virginia
Posted on 12/27/2009 - Injury Law Rules are Different in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. as it Relates to the Metro Train Collision Victims
Posted on 6/25/2009 - Sailboats Strike Overhead Power Lines in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA)
Posted on 6/11/2009
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Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)
Virginia (VA) enters the modern era regarding boating licenses
One of the biggest running jokes in the state of Virginia is that a 14-year-old can operate a 68-foot yacht, without any license whatsoever, but the same 14-year-old cannot operate a jet ski without a license. This may sound crazy but it is true.Virginia was 1 of only 15 states that didn’t require knowledge of boater safety to operate a boat, no matter how huge a vessel. That ends July 1, 2007.
In February 2007, The Virginia General Assembly enacted a boater safety education bill that will require boaters to pass a course before being allowed to operate motor boats.
Boater safety courses as of July will be mandatory for all operators of personal water craft (Jet Skis, Sea Doos, Yamaha PWC’s) and any motorboats/yachts with engines of more than 10 horsepower.
However, the law will be phased in over time according to the age of operators, with all Virginia boaters--no matter their age--having to comply by 2016.
According to statistics, Virginia’s waters are among the most dangerous in the nation--with many personal injuries and even deaths occurring from boats and personal water craft accidents.
According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, last year Virginia ranked 19th of the nation’s 50 states in the number of registered boats, but Virginia was 12th for the total number of boating accidents. Worse yet, Virginia was 9th of 50 states for total boater deaths/fatalities.
Charlie Sledd, who runs Virginia’s boating safety program for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries was quoted recently as admitting that “It’s a disproportionate number, “ [referring to the death statistic]. Sledd will lead the game department in handling the particulars of the new law.
Florida has led the nation in total boating fatalities since 2001. Interestingly, Coast Guard statistics show that about 70 percent of reported fatalities across the nation occurred on boats where the operator did not have boater safety education.
Since 1997, Virginia required a safety education bill for operators of personal water craft such as Jet Skis after an alarming number of injuries and deaths occurred due to the sudden prevalence, and speed of Jet Skis. Under the law, operators of these speedy little crafts had to be at least 16 years old. Fourteen-and 15-year-olds could operate personal water craft/Jet Skis only after taking a certified course.
Perhaps because of Virginia’s centuries old maritime industry, there was never a minimum age boat license requirement in Virginia.
Virginia Beach is a prime area boating, marine activities, Jet Ski activities, and all types of boating. With the summer months comes an increase in accidents on the Chesapeake Bay, the rivers and water ways, including along Atlantic Ocean beaches fronting Virginia Beach. Boating and marine personal injuries involve special circumstances and careful attention by a personal injury attorney. In some cases, Federal Maritime law applies to the circumstances of the injury. In other injuries depending upon their location on the waterways, Virginia common law negligence law may apply. Also, depending upon insurance considerations and the circumstances of the personal injury, lawyers may argue alternative theories of liability against a defendant.
At Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis, & Appleton, our personal injury attorneys are familiar with the strategic decision making that is required in a boating or maritime injury case. If you have any questions about such an injury or death, please contact our law firm for individualized attention to the circumstances of the case.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.
How should you locate the best, top injury lawyer for your case?
Our Injury Lawyers Have Been Selected For Many Achievements Outlined Below:
Several Injury Attorneys With Our Firm have been included among the "Best Lawyers in America" 2010 Edition (Lewis-Injury Law, Shapiro-Railroad Injury Law) and been Named As Virginia "Super Lawyers" For Personal Injury Law (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009 Ed.)(Less than 5% of Outstanding Lawyers are Chosen); also selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Lewis, Shapiro - 2009); named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia by ATLA (Shapiro - 2009), and our law firm was the first Injury Law Firm in Virginia Invited to Join Primerus, a select group of Highly Ethical, Respected Law Firms .
In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained, what was then, the largest record verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person (46 Million Dollar Verdict, with Interest, 60 Million Dollars, Settled confidentially during appeal). Click on icons for more details.
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Our personal injury lawyers handle personal injury cases throughout the eastern USA, and work closely with lawyers in other states on signficant injury cases.
As to Virginia (VA), this includes: Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond (entire area), Petersburg, Roanoke/Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, all areas of the Eastern Shore, including Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, and Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague, and Wallops Island, Ashland, Big Stone Gap and any other city/ounty.
As to West Virginia (WV) personal injury claims: Bluefield, Beckley, Bridgeport, Charles Town, Charleston, Fairmont, Huntington, Lewisburg, Madison, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Moundsville, Parkersburg, Ripley, Sutton, Weirton, Wheeling, and any other town or county.
Injury Lawyers licensed in VA, WV, NC, SC, KY & Wash., DC.
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Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)
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